Method of manufacturing a data carrier

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a data carrier from a support strip includes an overmoulding step, in which at least one support element of the support strip is overmoulded so as to obtain a data carrier body, and a microcircuit-connecting step, in which a microcircuit is electrically connected to the wiring pads of the data carrier body so as to obtain the data carrier.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a method of manufacturing a data carrier providedwith a microcircuit. The data carrier can be, for example, a plug thatcan be inserted in a cellular phone, said data carrier identifying thecellular phone user for accessing the telecommunication network. Theplug can be, for example, a GSM plug respecting the GSM 11.11 standard(2G plug) or the third generation project (3G plug). The GSM plug isalso known as a Subscriber Identity Module card (SIM card). Theinvention also concerns a support strip comprising substantiallyparallel gripping areas.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a method of manufacturing a plug that can be used ina cellular phone. Such a plug comprises a card body and a module. Amodule comprises a microcircuit and protective resin. The module isgenerally manufactured independently of the card body and testedseparately. If the test is satisfactory, the module is embedded in thecard body of an ISO card. The card body is then pre-cut in the format ofa GSM plug. In a second testing step, the microcircuit is then testedagain. This second test can also be carried out after the embedding butbefore the cutting. An ISO card provided with a pre-cut outline in theformat of the plug is thus obtained. Before use, the plug is separatedfrom the ISO card by the end user. Thus the GSM plugs are manufacturedin a discontinuous manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to reduce the costs.

According to one aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing aplurality of data carriers from a support strip, a data carriercomprising a data carrier body provided with a microcircuit, the supportstrip comprising a plurality of support elements, a support elementcomprising wiring pads, comprises the following steps:

-   -   an overmoulding step, in which the support elements of the        support strip are overmoulded so as to obtain a plurality of        data carrier bodies,    -   a microcircuit-connecting step, in which microcircuits are        electrically connected to the wiring pads of the data carrier        bodies so as to obtain a plurality of data carriers.

The data carrier can be, for example, a GSM plug. Thanks to theinvention, a GSM plug can be directly obtained without having tomanufacture a pre-cut ISO card. Less plastic material is required. Inaddition only one testing step is needed and only one support strip ishandled during the manufacturing. The invention thus allows reducing thecosts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a known method of manufacturing a plugthat can be used in a cellular phone;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section view and top view of a data carrier;

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of manufacturing a plurality of GSM plugs;and

FIG. 4 illustrates a GSM plug arranged to be inserted in an ISO card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 2 illustrates a GSM plug comprising a card body provided with amicrocircuit. The card body comprises a first side and a second side. Acut metal grid (1) is embedded in the card body. The cut metal gridcomprises contact pads (2), wiring pads (3) and handling areas (indexingholes, support, etc.). The contact pads are flush with the first side.The card body is advantageously made of a thermoplastic (4) material.The GSM plug further comprises a support for the metal grid (1),reference edges (5) of the plug, 2G (6 b) and 3G (6 a) foolproofingareas and a cavity (7) arranged to receive the microcircuit and mark outthe coating. The cavity (7) is advantageously placed on the first sideso that the second side can easily be graphically personalized. Such aplug is described in the international patent application WO 0245010which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of manufacturing a plurality of GSM plugs.The method consists of using a support strip. The support stripcomprises indexing and foolproofing holes (9), gripping areas forsupport or clamping by handling systems (10) and snap-off junction areas(11). The support strip further comprises several metal grids (1 a, 1 b,1 c). A metal grid (1 a) comprises contact pads (2), wiring pads (3),handling areas (indexing holes, support, etc.). The snap-off junctionareas (11) are used to join a metal grid (1 a) to the gripping areas(10) of the support strip.

In an overmoulding step, the various metal grids (1 a, 1 b, 1 c) of thesupport strip are overmoulded, so as to obtain a plurality of cardbodies. Overmoulding can be carried out using, for example, athermoplastic material.

In a microcircuit-inserting step, microcircuits are inserted in thecavities (7) of the card bodies. The microcircuits are then electricallyconnected to the wiring pads (3) and coated with a protective resin soas to obtain GSM plugs. In a test and personalisation step, the cardbodies are graphically personalised. The microcircuits are tested andpersonalised in this step. In a cutting step, the GSM plugs are cut toseparate them from the rest of the support.

Thus the GSM plug are manufactured in a continuous manner.

The description hereinbefore illustrates a method of manufacturing aplurality of data carriers from a support strip, a data carriercomprising a data carrier body provided with a microcircuit, the supportstrip comprising a plurality of support elements (1), a support elementcomprising wiring pads, that comprises the following steps:

-   -   an overmoulding step, in which the support elements of the        support strip are overmoulded so as to obtain a plurality of        data carrier bodies; and    -   a microcircuit-connecting step, in which microcircuits are        electrically connected to the wiring pads (3) of the data        carrier bodies so as to obtain a plurality of data carriers.

According to another aspect of the invention, the support stripcomprises roughly parallel gripping areas (10). The support stripcomprises a plurality of support elements (1). A support elementcomprises conducting elements. A conducting element comprises a contactpad and a wiring pad. The support element (1) is connected to a grippingarea (10) using a snap-off junction area (11).

The data carrier element was a GSM plug. More generally, the datacarrier element can be any data carrier comprising a body that can bemoulded, for example, a plastic body.

The support elements are, for example, metal grids (1 a,1 b, 1 c). Moregenerally, the support elements can be made from any material that isstiff enough to be overmoulded without being damaged.

The elements 9, 10 and 11 of the support strip can be made from metal orany other material stiff enough to allow good gripping. For example aplastic material could be used.

Alternatively, during the overmoulding step, various shapes can beobtained. Handling areas used for possible individual handling of asingle data carrier can be overmoulded. The handling areas can be, forexample, notches and/or holes used, for example, in alignment,orientation.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the metal grid can be overmoulded in such amanner that the thus obtained GSM plug can be inserted in a receivingcard. In this respect, for example, a clipping element can be moulded inthe GSM plug body.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a 3G plug can also be directly integrated withthe body of the 2G plug by adding a moulded snap-off area (8). Themoulded snap-off area thus defines a main area (MA) and an auxiliaryarea (AA). Advantageously, the part of the metal grid corresponding tothe auxiliary area (AA) can also be arranged to receive an electroniccomponent such as, for example, a memory component, in particular aflash memory. The memory component can be connected to the microcircuitusing, for example, a DSI bus. The electronic component can also be acrypto-processor or any other electronic component.

Advantageously, and preferably just before the microcircuit-insertingstep, a printing step can be introduced, in which the various cardbodies are printed.

1. A method of manufacturing a data carrier from a support strip, thedata carrier comprising a data carrier body provided with amicrocircuit, the support strip comprising at least one support element,the support element comprising wiring pads, the method comprising thefollowing steps: an overmoulding step, in which the support element ofthe support strip is overmoulded so as to obtain the data carrier body;and a microcircuit-connecting step, in which the microcircuit iselectrically connected to the wiring pads of the data carrier body so asto obtain the data carrier.
 2. The method according to claim 1, whereinthe method further comprises a cutting step, in which the data carrieris cut out.
 3. A support strip comprising: at least one roughly parallelgripping area; and at least one support element, wherein the supportelement comprises conducting element having a contact pad and a wiringpad, and wherein the support element is connected to the at least onegripping area using a snap-off junction area.
 4. The support stripaccording to claim 3, wherein the support element is a support grid. 5.The support strip according to claim 3, wherein the support elementcomprises a foolproofing edge.
 6. The support strip according to claim4, wherein support element comprises a second foolproofing edge.
 7. Thesupport strip according to claim 3, wherein the support element ismetallic.
 8. The support strip according to claim 4, wherein the supportelement has a contour whose geometry substantially complies with thestandard GSM 11.11.
 9. The support strip according to claim 3, whereinthe support element is arranged to receive an electronic component.